Rangers facing a Scohi detour?

The Rangers team that hosts the Oilers tonight at Madison Square Garden might not necessarily resemble the squad playing its next home game.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will attempt to capture his second gold medal while playing for Sweden.

And that could have nothing to do with how general manager Glen Sather handles impending unrestricted free agents Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi before or after the Olympic roster freeze that runs from Friday at 3 p.m. until Feb. 23 at 11:59 p.m.

The Rangers, whose practice in Greenburgh, N.Y., on Wednesday was canceled due to the weather conditions, are seeking a season’s-best fifth straight win and are 16-5-1 since Dec. 22.

But there is a chance that momentum could be lost during the Olympic break, especially with seven players heading to the Sochi Games. The Rangers, playing the 6,000th regular-season game in team history tonight, are at Pittsburgh on Friday night, then don’t resume their schedule until hosting the Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks on Feb. 27.

"We shouldn’t overthink it," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who will look to backstop Sweden to a gold medal, as he did in 2006.

"The schedule has been done," added coach Alain Vigneault, discounting the notion that the Olympic break is coming at a bad time for his team. "It’s been real challenging for all of the teams. It’s a break scheduled in there and our guys are going to be able to play in the Olympics. I am expecting them to come back and be really excited about this final push and helping us. The guys that don’t play will get the rest they need for the final push."

In addition to Lundqvist, Callahan, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh will play for Team USA, Rick Nash will play for Canada, Carl Hagelin will play for Sweden and Mats Zuccarello will suit up for the lightly-regarded Norwegian squad.

"It’s coming down to the stretch so you have to play consistent games," McDonagh said. "Teams are going to battle until the end if they are down. That’s the mentality we need to have, especially at home."

In 2006, the Rangers went into the Olympic break in first place in the Atlantic Division and on a 10-1-1 streak. But after winning their first game after the Olympics, the Rangers went through an 0-4-2 slide and finished the season on an 0-5-0 skid before being swept out of the playoffs by the Devils in four games.

The Rangers missed the playoffs in 2010 when they sent five players to the Vancouver Games — and coach John Tortorella was an assistant coach for Team USA.

But this season’s team is much more balanced. That balance, plus having their Olympians return healthy, might allow the Rangers to maintain their current momentum.

"The good thing about this team is we have four lines doing big things," Lundqvist said. "Maybe, in the past, it’s been about the first or second line. But even the fourth line is playing huge minutes. You can’t expect one line to carry you all the time."

Rangers facing a Scohi detour?

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will attempt to capture his second gold medal while playing for Sweden.

And that could have nothing to do with how general manager Glen Sather handles impending unrestricted free agents Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi before or after the Olympic roster freeze that runs from Friday at 3 p.m. until Feb. 23 at 11:59 p.m.

The Rangers, whose practice in Greenburgh, N.Y., on Wednesday was canceled due to the weather conditions, are seeking a season’s-best fifth straight win and are 16-5-1 since Dec. 22.

But there is a chance that momentum could be lost during the Olympic break, especially with seven players heading to the Sochi Games. The Rangers, playing the 6,000th regular-season game in team history tonight, are at Pittsburgh on Friday night, then don’t resume their schedule until hosting the Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks on Feb. 27.

"We shouldn’t overthink it," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who will look to backstop Sweden to a gold medal, as he did in 2006.

"The schedule has been done," added coach Alain Vigneault, discounting the notion that the Olympic break is coming at a bad time for his team. "It’s been real challenging for all of the teams. It’s a break scheduled in there and our guys are going to be able to play in the Olympics. I am expecting them to come back and be really excited about this final push and helping us. The guys that don’t play will get the rest they need for the final push."

In addition to Lundqvist, Callahan, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh will play for Team USA, Rick Nash will play for Canada, Carl Hagelin will play for Sweden and Mats Zuccarello will suit up for the lightly-regarded Norwegian squad.

"It’s coming down to the stretch so you have to play consistent games," McDonagh said. "Teams are going to battle until the end if they are down. That’s the mentality we need to have, especially at home."

In 2006, the Rangers went into the Olympic break in first place in the Atlantic Division and on a 10-1-1 streak. But after winning their first game after the Olympics, the Rangers went through an 0-4-2 slide and finished the season on an 0-5-0 skid before being swept out of the playoffs by the Devils in four games.

The Rangers missed the playoffs in 2010 when they sent five players to the Vancouver Games — and coach John Tortorella was an assistant coach for Team USA.

But this season’s team is much more balanced. That balance, plus having their Olympians return healthy, might allow the Rangers to maintain their current momentum.

"The good thing about this team is we have four lines doing big things," Lundqvist said. "Maybe, in the past, it’s been about the first or second line. But even the fourth line is playing huge minutes. You can’t expect one line to carry you all the time."